Apparatus for automatically applying tape to a surface are well known. A product to be taped is moved in a path, either manually or automatically, and intersects the path of the tape to be applied The tape is taken from a tape source such as a roll and is moved to its application position typically by a series of arms and rollers. The arms may be dancer arms which accumulate tape or other pivoting arms which reduce the inertia on the tape roll to reduce the tension on the tape being applied U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,418 to Rayl is representative of tape applicating machines in which one way rollers prevent reverse tape movement and a stationary or movable knife is used to cut applied tape.
Dewyer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,543,004 discloses an apparatus which applies adhesive transfer tape onto an object using a series of rollers, one of which is activated by a brake to control advance of tape. Unwinding of the tape is controlled by a motor which also combines with a dancer arm to regulate the unwind tension of the tape. The tape is held in position for application by a vacuum wheel and a blade-type cutter severs the tape. This vacuum-using apparatus is very complex and expensive.
Shipping and other containers are commonly sealed by applying L-shaped clips of adhesive tape over a corner of the container. Various devices for applying L clips to containers include automatic applicators which operate in conjunction with a conveyer for applying L clips to a container as the container moves past the applicator. Typical L clip applicators, such as the one disclosed in Locke et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,515,130, include an applicator arm for applying tape to a container conveyed past the applicator arm, a blade for cutting the adhesive tape into segments, and a buffer assembly for pressing the segments into contact with the container. The Locke tape dispenser applies tape around the corners of boxes. This apparatus is not suitable for applying fragile linered tape.
An applicator for automatically applying two L clips in line is disclosed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 307,681 filed on Feb.6, 1989 by Ramacier and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In the Ramacier application an actuator selectively increases the tension on the tape during cutting and decreases the tension at other times. However, this apparatus is not designed for use with fragile linered tape.
Luhman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,782 discloses an applicator for applying a tape to a stationary surface using a dancer roll. The tape is a linered pressure sensitive adhesive and the liner is stripped from the adhesive to be wound on a take-up reel before the tape is applied. A knife is used to cut the tape. However, this applicator is also not designed for use with fragile linered tape, can not apply L clips, and is relatively complex.
No known, simple, inexpensive apparatus can take a fragile linered tape which includes a tearable film adhered to a support sheet and a removable liner adhered to the tape for storing the tape, strip off the liner, and apply the linerless tape onto a product without stretching or otherwise damaging the tape during application. Moreover, fragile linered tape can not be pulled taut or cut with a conventional blade-type knife as the tension and shear forces would damage or destroy the tape. Scissors and crush cut type cutters are expensive to manufacture and use oil or other detackifying agents which contaminate the tape. Hot wire cutters may be used to sever the tape from a tape roll. Known hot wire cutting tools, such as the wire cutter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,144 to Macgrory et al., use high tensions and low temperatures which result in relatively long cutting times These long cutting times frequently yield improper cutting of the web and sometimes are insufficient to cut the web at all at the higher operating speeds that are compatible with the process speeds common in the industry. Operating at high temperatures would distort the wire and likely impair the ability of the wire to cut.